Child support is generally intended to help with the costs of raising the child—including food, clothing, shelter, and education—but laws vary from state to state and are often unclear on the extent to which child support payments are intended to help the custodial parent pay for half of school supplies, health care, braces, dental care, uninsured medical care, transportation (car), daycare, sports camps, cheerleading camps, school trips, social activities, and extracurricular activities.

Most state laws (statutes) don’t identify the specific child-rearing costs to which the custodial parent is required to contribute payment from child support and other resources—and because these issues are frequently the source of parental conflict, parents should identify all expected future costs and agree to the process for sharing them.

Because child support obligations generally end when the child turns 18, moves to attend college, dies, or gets married, college expenses are generally not child support obligations. But because college tuition and the associated living expenses are substantial, some parents attempt to address these costs in divorce or other legal proceedings. Depending on the age of the child at the time of divorce and the parents’ financial resources, the funding of a 529 plan (qualified tuition plan) for the child is one option for parents to consider.

In Washington State, child support is intended to cover the basic needs of the child, which includes food, clothing, shelter, and education. The Washington State Child Support Schedule is used to determine the amount of support, and while it provides a basis for the costs of raising a child, it does not explicitly itemize expenses such as school supplies, health care, braces, dental care, uninsured medical care, transportation, daycare, and extracurricular activities. Parents are encouraged to discuss and agree upon how to handle these additional expenses, as they can often become points of contention. Child support in Washington typically ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever is later, but not beyond 19 years of age, unless the child is disabled. College expenses are not automatically included in child support obligations, but parents can make arrangements for post-secondary education costs, such as contributing to a 529 college savings plan, during divorce or legal proceedings. It's important for parents to address these issues proactively to ensure a clear understanding of financial responsibilities for their child's upbringing and education.